What Could Have Been
by FreeWritingGeek22
Summary: Taking one last glance around Peggy Carter began to make her way out of the busy place, not able to stay any longer. The springy music slowed and a hand caught her shoulder just before she reached the door. What could have happened at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger. This was posted earlier but was deleted accidentally so I had to repost it.


**Disclaimer: I do not own any of Marvels characters they belong to Marvel. This is for entertainment only.**

**Just finished the first season of Agent Carter and it was the bee's knee's! I loved ever minute of it. Peggy has been a really big hero to me since Captain America The First Avengers (along with Steve) and now after getting to know her even more. I have a whole knew respect for her, she is simply put. EPIC! They both are in all honesty. **

**Anyway, please enjoy.**

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**_What could have been._**

_a time to weep, and a time to laugh;_

_a time to mourn, and a time to dance; —Ecclesiastes 3:4_

"Peggy," Steve said his voice sounding sad, "I'm going to need a rain check on that dance." He called through the staticky mike.

"Alright." Peggy said, her bottom lip began to quiver, "a week next Saturday at the Stark Club."

"You'v Got it."

"Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?" She men't it. For a moment to long there was only static, "You know I still don't know how to dance." This made Peggy smile, "I'll show you how." She could barley say, her chest tightened and tears started brimming her eye's, "Just be there."

"We'll have the band play something slow." His voice became rushed, Peggy's heart skipped a beat, "I'd hate to step on yo—" The line went dead. Static filled the room around her.

Her heart stopped, all her breath taken from her, "Steve? Steve?" She said, hoping.

"Steve?" her voice broke, tears fell from her eye's, her heart shattering. He couldn't be gone.

"Please," she whispered, her head fell into her hands, "please my darling," she didn't dare move, staying where she was for the rest of the night. She willed the radio mike to say something. For Steve's kind, strong voice to say he was alright…

His voice never came and with him part of Peggy's heart remand...

A week from Saturday came and Peggy found herself dressed in a dark blue dress, sitting alone at the Stark Club. It was seven fifty-nine and she had no idea why she was there. Well, maybe she knew why. Howard Stark and invited her to come. He had said, "come on Peg. It would be good to get out." His eye's were sad and Peggy was going to refuse him but leave it to Stark to come and tell her, "He wouldn't want you to be alone tonight." Steve she had thought, "Just as friends." Howard finished almost pleading.

Sighing deeply Peggy wished that she had said no, now that she was here it was to much pain. Even so this is where she was and a small part of her still hoped that Steve would show. That maybe the last week had been a dream of a dream. A nightmare and she was going to wake up and find him working at the base Monday morning.

That the plane hadn't crashed, that he didn't have to be so darn noble and selfless.

Somewhere a clock chimed eight and her heart broke more and more with each passing minute after. Eight-ten. No Steve Roger.

Watching the room around her there were no familiar faces. An overwhelming pain crushed down on her. Her eye's become misty though she would not let tears fall. After all its not what he would have wanted.

Gently whipping a stray tear she stood. What was she thinking? She shouldn't be here, taking one last glance around she began to make her way out of the busy place, not able to stay any longer.

"Peggy," Howard called catching up to her, "Peggy where are you going?"

Spinning around Peggy snapped, "Howard I dan't want to be here I could be doing other things. Let me go." Her voice made him drop his hand from her elbow. Nodding his head he let her go.

Turning back to the entrance the springy music slowed and a hand caught her shoulder just before she reached the door.

Turning to face Stark once again, she began to say "Howard!" but upon seeing who the hand really belonged to she froze… Bright grey/blue eye's met Peggy's sad brown ones. Her voice caught in her throat, speechless. Steve Rogers stood before her.

Dressed in his formal military uniform he stood right there. Right there! How could he be right here? Behind him Howard smiled, holding up a glass of beef he nodded to Peggy.

Steve eye's were soft and gently he whispered "Hi, Peggy." He took her hands and drew her out onto the dance floor the slow music playing in the back ground, "you said a week next Saturday right?" Steve said his hands finding Peggy's waist. Respectfully.

The sound of his voice filled her ears. He really was here. Smiling she looped her arms around his neck. They started swaying slowly to the music the world around both of them a blur. They held each others gaze, neither one willing to break the moment. There eye's saying more then words could ever imagine.

"Any later and you might not have caught me." Peggy said regaining her composure.

"My ride was a little slow in finding me." Steve said, his eye's smiling. They danced until the song was over and then they danced some more or really what they were doing was swaying back and forth to nothing in particular. Not one really leading the other and Steve never stepped on her toes once. Losing herself Peggy fell into Steve, everything that had happened leaving her shaken.

"It's alright Peg. I'm here now," Steve's arms closed protectively and securely around her. For a moment everything was alright. Peggy allowed herself this one weakness, Captain Steve Rogers.

They hadn't noticed but the bar was far closed and empty when they finally stopped swaying to their now imaginary music. They stood for a long while after stopping, Peggy in Steve's arms, the only man she would truly ever love. No one bothered to interrupt them, letting them have this one last moment together. Howard had left the keys on the counter.

"I love you, Peg." Steve whispered, whipping a stray tear falling down Peggy's cheek.

"And I you, my darling." She whispered, her lips turning up. Seeing her smile Made Steve smile, "Thats my girl."

Its what could have been, maybe its what should have been.

But...

Peggy's eye's snapped open, she was in her bed, her room dark. It had all been a dream. Not one second of it was real. Tears fell down her cheeks, pulling her legs over the edge of the bed Peggy opened the night stand drawer. Popping up the bottom of the drawer she took the last piece of Steve she had. His picture. Holding it close to her she would treasure that last moment with him, even if it was but a dream.

"My darling, I will always love you." She whispered.

Present day.

Steve shot up from the couch he had fallen asleep on. The dream he had of dancing with Peggy to much for him even after all these years, it could have been yesterday. Pulling himself off the couch, he found the spot he had left the compass. Opening it to find Peggy's picture inside. How he wished he could have been there for her. To really have shown up at the Stark Club and dance with her. Sighing he checked his watch, '4:52' it said.

Not thinking he would find anymore sleep after such a sweet and painful dream, he left his apartment for a run. His dear compass in hand. The only piece of his lost love that he had left.

Running until the sun was high in the sky Steve was shining with sweat. Comming around a corner in an empty park, to his surprise Natasha appeared from behind a tree, the sight of her stopping him.

"Been running a long time." She more stated then asked.

"Are you stalking me." Steve said burring his pain deep enough to hide. Smiling Natasha looped her arm though Steve's and began to walk, "I don't see it as stalking." She said, her fiery attitude showing, "you want breakfast I'm starving." she said, changing the subject. Seeing that she wasn't going anywhere Steve said, "sure where are you thinking?"

"Your 'hiding spot' of an apartment. I made some eggs and bacon they should still be warm." Of course she had found his new apartment and broken in. In some ways having Natasha around lessened the pain he felt when he thought of Peggy. Holding his compass tightly in his hand he let Natasha lead the way back to breakfast.

Natasah leaned into him and whispered in his ear, "She's pretty." Her head titled tword the compass in his hand.

If only it could have been.

**The End.**

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**Thanks for reading if you were cool enough to read this far then please be awesome enough to leave me a review good or bad. **

**A note from the author, "say I think in the movie the club was really the Stork Club, vs Stark. But for my story I used Stark with the thinking that it belonged to Howard. If I'm wrong about that please let me know because I'll be honest I'm not completely certain if it was Stork or Stark. I had just read that it was Stork somewhere. Anyway enough with that." Thanks! **


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